Latest Update: Nov. 2, 2021
This pancocojams post presents information & comments about the South African originated dance form called "pantsula" ("amapantsula", "mapantsula"). Seven videos of pantsula dancing are also showcased in this post.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post. Thanks also to all of the dancers who are featured in these videos, and thanks to the publishers of these videos on YouTube. Hat tip to http://dynamicafrica.tumblr.com/ for alerting me to this dance form. Thanks also for alerting me about their excellent African visual arts site.
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GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT PANTSULA DANCING [Excerpt #3 added on Nov. 1, 2021 corrects the dates of the beginnings of pantsula and adds other information.]
Excerpt #1
From http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_pantsula_dance&r2as=1#slide=2&article=What_is_pantsula_dance
"Pantsula is a dance form that consists of footwork, rhythm and beat. It was developed in the 1980's and started mainly in the streets of Soweto. This energetic dance was originated in the townships of south africa. Many performers of today uses props such as brooms, cans and stick etc."
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Excerpt #2
From http://www.ehow.com/about_5414725_history-pantsula-dance.html
"History
The Pantsula became a very popular form of dance in the 1980s among young men and women in the townships of Africa. The dance was not only used for them to express themselves, but was also a way of life. It expressed their lives as a reflection of the violence of the township culture. The dance set them free from parental dominance and it gave them freedom without prejudice. It gained international recognition and became the pop music of the decade.
The Dance
The Pantsula dance is described as a flat footed African tap-and-glide style of dance. The Zulu word "pantsula" means to "waddle like a duck or alternatively to walk with protruded buttocks," which is a characteristic of the dance."
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Excerpt #3
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pantsula
"Pantsula is a tradition and also a highly energetic dance form that originated in the black townships of South Africa during the apartheid era. It developed into a form of social commentary for black South Africans and has undergone several transformations with the country's changing political tides.
Origins and history
Pantsula dance emerged in the 1950s and 1960s as a response
to the forced removals implemented by the apartheid government, shortly after
its ascent to power. It began in Alexandra and Sophiatown, two townships in
Johannesburg, as groups of older men engaged in informal street dance
competitions. Gradually the dance form spread throughout South Africa.[1] By
the 1980s, pantsula was practiced by black South Africans of all ages and was
no longer limited to men. It began to develop more political overtones.
Pantsula was used as an expression of resistance during the political struggle
then occurring against the apartheid government, as well as being used to
spread awareness about social issues such as AIDS.[2]
Technique
Pantsula is a syncopated, quick-stepping, low to the ground
form of dance which evokes the urban street culture of which it is a part. It
is performed by groups of dancers who practice together for many hours each
week. It provides a powerful, stylized form of expression. As one pantsula
dancer describes it, "we have drive, we are one, we have power, we are
young, strong and quick, we have our own style and we are competitive."[1]
It developed from the Sotho dances of mqaquanga and marabi, with influence from 1930s American jazz.[3] Later evolutions of pantsula dancing in the 1980s were influenced by American hip hop and breakdance.[2] Quick, darting steps in geometric lines with an uneven rhythmic quality characterize this form of movement. The Charleston, a knock-kneed manoeuvre from American jazz, as well as the popping and locking found in US hip hop, are also found in this form of dance. The word pantsula is Zulu, and refers to "waddling like a duck." This flat-footed move with the buttocks sticking out is commonplace in the dance form.[4]
Pantsula has three styles: Western Style, Slow Poison, and Futhuza. Western Style is the most typically found form, and it is highly rigorous. The arms remain wrapped around an upright torso while the feet move in extremely fast and particular shuffling and jumping movements as groups of dancers move in and out of geometric formations. This form requires good physical command of the body. Slow Poison is like Western style in form, with mostly stationary arms and intricate lower body movements, but it is performed in a slow, steady fashion with a constant beat. Futhuza is infused with elements of American breakdancing and hiphop. This form utilizes the somewhat disjointed, sometimes fluid, robotic motion of popping and locking.
Music
Originally, pantsula dancers did not have access to recorded
music and danced to live music, including voices like Bra Sello and "Big
Voice Jack" Lerole.[1] As radios became more readily available, dancers
opted for international and US pop music, calling on icons like Michael Jackson
as well as rappers including MC Hammer and Puff Daddy. However, in the 1990s, a
particular type of music for pantsula emerged: kwaito. This multilingual music
is typical of the myriad of cultures in South Africa, and is a blend of
seSotho, isiZulu, English, and Afrikaans. It is strong and sharp, like
pantsula, and projects a streetwise, gangster image.[2]"...
-snip-
This Wikipedia article and other online articles that I've read about pantsula don't note that while this dance form originated in South Africa, it also spread and was quite popular in some other Southern African nations such as Botswana and Zimbabwe (Information gleaned from various comments on certain discussion threads of YouTube videos such as .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuvTclfJ8tA&ab_channel=CapitalMediaGroup WATCH Pantsula parade and dance at Ramotswa #pantsula
#mapantsula (published in November 2017 by Capital Media Group).
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FEATURED VIDEOS
WARNING: As is the case with many YouTube video viewer comment threads, some of the comments in these discussions contain profanity, racist, homophobic, and other problematic content.
Example #1: Dance Direction International-Pansula DVD
dancedirection, Uploaded on Jul 14, 2009
Traditional Township dance done in the black township suburbs in South Africa. Always done in Tackies with fast , intricate footwork and usually tells an everyday life story with humour added into it. Choreographed by the CHIZBOYZ. They have performed in many corporate functions, at the Grahamstown Festival, on the Island of Reunion, etc. They are based in Durban, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa
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Example #2: mapantsula for life
DNkala Uploaded on May 14, 2010
boys can dance
-snip-
Comment:
Mattman Key1, 2012
"I realized that bits and pieces of the song are from Kuduro songs, an ANGOLAN type of music!! lol"
-snip-
As of this date, two other commenters identified this music as Kuduro music from Angola. I'm not sure where this video was filmed.
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Example #3: COLORS dance to PANTSULA
colorsmagazine78, Uploaded on Sep 23, 2010
The boys of Johannesburg's violent townships grew up running, jumping and crawling from the police, facing dangerous lives of gangsterism and crime. Now these boys are men, and their dance shows the way to a new, non-violent future.
Filmmaker Chris Saunders / Editing Pablo Pastor / Soundmix Adam Lieber
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Example #4: Real Actions Pantsula - Brooms
Sello Modiga Published on Apr 10, 2012
-snip-
Comments: 2012
lebohang nkwatsi1
"i am glad i grow up in a period in Orange Farm where Pantsula was the greatest form of expression and entertainment. i've seen the best performances, is too bad lot of guys grow up, quit the art form to find jobs to pay bills. Some of us had to leave FAMA to go further our studies. i am wondering if we had this kind of technology back in the day, will Action still have uploaded this videos? lmao..."
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lebohang nkwatsi
"they would have been copied by lot of guys, Real Action was and is still the pacesetter. much respect to you guys and big ups for giving lot of guys that i didn't think they will ever play for Action the opportunity to be part of your family."
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Example #5: Amapantsula Ajabulile......FILMED BY STREET CORNER FILMS
STREETCORNER FILMS, Published on Apr 25, 2012
PANTSULA DANCE ORIGINATED FROM SOUTH AFRICA.....STREET CORNER FILMS....IPHONE
-snip-
Comment - 2012
[in response to another comment]
STREETCORNER FILMS
"…his saying " mina " meaning me ....Is a South Africa language"
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Comment: 2013
Nat Godley
"Is this music Pitch Black Afro? Got addicted to his track Matofotofo on the Tsotsi soundtrack but kwaito in general is really hard to find on CD or download in the US, and none of PBA's stuff seems to have been released outside of SA."
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Example #6: PANTSULA DANCE 2013 ...FILMED BY STREET CORNER FILMS
STREETCORNER FILMS Published on Dec 6, 2012
STREET CORNER FILMS &T.V
-snip-
Comments 2013
Astrid Vitols
"J'adoooooore !!!!! I really enjoyyyyyy it ! This new dance from South Africa is a mix of afro, jazz, claquettes, that's so amazing !! African Youth is so creative, innovating all the time !!! BIG UP TO ALL OF THOSE YOUNG BOYS ;-)...Kiss ! Astrid from Paris, France ;-)"
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Mattman Key
"Pantsula ain't new, it's been around since the 80s (or a little older)!!! Respect!!"
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sduriza
"Panstula started in late 50's actually, they wasn't so much as dances then, bootleggers and petty criminals, street cats, they really started dancing around late 70's and then when bubblegum came out thats when it really took with the dancing, Respect Panstula for life!"
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Makhaola Ndebele
"Yes, It's great. It's not new though, it's been around since the early 80s, from what I know of it."
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Putumani Nomzaza
"I thought Pantsula was dead but after watching these guys its so alive, i love being South African!"
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Example #7: PANTSULA STREET DANCE
Mada Sthembiso Published on Jun 2, 2013
SKHANDA IS AN OLD DANCE OF SPANTSULA,BAT U CAN ONGLY FIND IT IN SOWETO
-snip-
Comment - 2013
Bonginkosi Shiba2
"Name of the sound track is "Maphorisa Feat. Candy - Nkerinkeri" "
-snip-
Here's a link to a pancocojams post about that song:
http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2014/01/south-african-music-maphorisa-feat.html
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RELATED LINK
http://www.mahala.co.za/jiva/via-volcano/
Via Volcano [South African pantsula dance group]
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